A Kenyan policeman who went missing from work and could not be found for nine months because no-one knew he had been admitted to hospital – has resurfaced.
Reuben Kimutai Lel was declared a deserter and his salary stopped after a futile search by the police for months.
Their enquiries from his family – who were also desperately looking for him – were all in vain.
Mr Lel was then charged in absentia and a warrant of arrest issued against him. The case was later withdrawn after police failed to find him.
It turned out that the policeman had all along been in hospital in a coma – he had been missing from December last year until last week when he regained consciousness.
Although he had not gained his full memory, he was then able to identify himself by name and that he was a police officer – and a search for his relatives began, local media report.
The policeman was a victim of a road accident in the capital Nairobi, and was admitted on 21 December as an unknown person at the main referral hospital in the city. He had no identity documents with him.
He is reportedly due to be reinstated on the police service’s payroll.
Read Also: ‘Pregnant’ woman planned ‘self-kidnapping’ to make money out of ransom- Police
In other news:
Nigeria arrests suspected student kidnappers
Three suspects behind the abduction of more than 100 students in the Nigerian state of Kaduna state have been arrested, police say.
They are among 50 suspects believed to be members of different gangs operating in north-west and central Nigeria.
Police spokesman Frank Mba said security forces were on the trail of 22 other members of the gang who were part of the abduction.
It comes as state governments in the region recruit vigilantes to help secure the area.
On 5 July, gunmen invaded Bethel Baptist high school in Kaduna and kidnapped over 121 students.
Source: BBC
